Crafts and Hobbies page - crafts for over 60s

Imagine if your favourite masterpieces were as much a part of your life as your favourite movies or music? If you didn’t have to visit a gallery every time you wanted to see them? If you could bring this classic art into your home or your office, sharing your artistic vision and taste with family and friends, colleagues and clients? That is what Fabulous Masterpieces is about.

Fabulous Masterpieces is a premier boutique, which specialises in hand painted oil reproductions of famous paintings and classic masterpieces. There is nothing wrong whatsoever with prints. However, a hand painted replica of a genuine oil painting of your favourite piece of art, be it Van Gogh's Starry Night or a Cezanne Still Life will undoubtedly add an extra luxuriousness and sense of style to your home.

Transform your precious images and memories into fine art that will stay with you always

Fabulous Masterpieces also offer a portrait service where you’ll be able to transform your precious images and memories into fine art that will stay with you always. They’ll hand paint a dazzling portrait be it of your yourself, family, children or pets, to the style and size of your choosing, which is not only something special that you can show off proudly in your home, but it would also be a fantastic gift to give.

Simply email over your chosen photograph along with instructions for the portrait you would like to commission. (Size, details, style, any other ideas), and Fabulous Masterpieces will lovingly hand paint your portrait from just £197 including post and packaging.

Transform your memories into a work of art

Since all paintings start life as a blank canvas, there are also no limitations. Perhaps you’d prefer it if your dog was painted in an abstract style or your daughter was painted in an impressionist style, think Sargent or Monet.

Perhaps you want to add something into the painting that wasn’t there in the photo, or maybe you’d like to omit a certain object. Fabulous Masterpieces are happy to help and advise, and want you to get the masterpiece you’re dreaming of.

Amanda English from Battersea is delighted with the picture she has created with the help of Fabulous Masterpieces. She says, “I have just received a painting which I commissioned through Fabulous Masterpieces of our Jack Russell Dog and I am absolutely delighted with it! The dog is jumping over flowers and the painting really captures the movement of the dog together with his lively personality. The artist painted the picture through a photo which I supplied and I simply can not get over the fine attention to detail. I am thrilled, this is a painting I will treasure forever!"

Amanda English commissioned a painting of her Jack Russell Dog

All paintings are painted with premier Winsor & Newton oils onto a fine linen canvas and take between 4 - 6 weeks to complete.

Sixtyplusurfers Special Offer

Fabulous Masterpieces are also offering all Sixtyplusurfers readers a special 15% off all portraits and masterpieces. To receive this special offer please quote Sixtyplusurfers as your reference in all correspondence.

Fabulous Masterpieces are also offering all Sixtyplusurfers readers a special 15% off all portraits and masterpieces

To receive more information about Fabulous Masterpieces just send an email to: info@fabulousmasterpieces.co.uk

You can also take look at the website at www.fabulousmasterpieces.co.uk or call Telephone: 0208 740 8708

Antiques for Everyone
30th October to 2nd November

Visit Antiques for Everyone at the NEC

Antiques for Everyone is returning to the NEC from 30th October to 2nd November 2008 with a fascinating feature of childhood memories.

A selection of antiques dealers from around the world have brought together their favourite toys and belongings for the feature, which is sponsored by BBC Homes and Antiques. Puppets, toy horses, zoetropes and dolls will be amongst the memories on show for the duration of the fair, giving visitors’ young and old the chance to reminisce about their youth.

Reminisce about your youth at Antiques for Everyone

In addition to the exciting new feature, fans of The BBC’s Antiques Roadshow will get a chance to meet presenter and dealer John Bly at this season’s fair.

Britain’s largest vetted and datelined antiques fair has perfect presents for the whole family with prices ranging from £10 to £100,000, from Victorian novelties to the finest paintings, there are gifts to suit any pocket as well as offering unique Christmas gift ideas.

With an unrivalled range of authentic antiques totalling more than £20m on display from more than 400 specialists, visitors can browse fine period furniture, pottery, glass, sculpture, jewellery, fashion, arts and crafts and much more.

Antiques for Everyone is the perfect day out for everyone, from private collectors and regular trade buyers to interior design enthusiasts.

Admission details

NEC Birmingham, B40 1NT, Halls 17 – 19
30th October to 2nd November 2008

Opening Times

Thursday        11am – 7pm
Friday            11am – 6pm
Saturday        11am – 6pm
Sunday          11am – 5pm

Ticket information

Admission: £10 (on the day)
Advance tickets: £8 (Transaction fee of 50p)

For further information call 0871 945 4527 or click on www.antiquesforeveryone.co.uk

Hand made Gifts to Make

Make an Autumn Leaves Card

Make an Autumn Leaves Card

Make these pretty Autumn Leaves cards. Perfect for an unexpected birthday or special greeting. This project is created by HobbyCraft.

You Will Need

·   Gold glitter card
·   Assorted leaf shape rubber stamps
·   Versamark ink pad
· Chalks set
·   Cream paper
·   Red card
·   Organza/copper ribbon
·   Sticky fixers
· Double-sided tape
·   Glue stick
·   Craft knife
·   Cotton wool

How to Make the Cards

1. Randomly stamp a selection of leaves onto the cream paper and allow the ink to become tacky.

2. Cut and crease the gold glitter card to make a blank greeting card.

3. Rub cotton wool onto the surface of the chalks and dab onto the tacky ink using a selection of Autumn colours.

4. From the cream paper cut out three whole leaves and a strip to fit the blank greeting card.

5. Using the glue stick layer the leaf strip onto the red card and then mount both onto the greeting card.

6. Stick some ribbon across the width of the card with double sided tape, then attach the leaves with sticky fixers.

About HobbyCraft

HobbyCraft is passionate about creative activities and is the UK’s only dedicated arts and crafts superstore chain.

Each one of their superstores sells more than 32,000 products for over 250 creative activities, all under one roof.

For more information visit the website at www.hobbycraft.co.uk

Crafts and Hobbies
With Hand Crafted Gifts to Make

UK Gets Knitting to Keep People Warm

UK gets knitting to keep people warm

An initiative to get people knitting items of clothing which they can donate to help others keep warm this winter is being promoted by CSV Make a Difference Day, the UK’s biggest single day of volunteering on Saturday 25th October 2008.

CSV Make a Difference Day is asking people, from professionals to novices, to help knit blankets, scarves, gloves or anything else which they might think of, that can be given to vulnerable elderly or homeless people who would struggle to keep warm as the weather takes a turn for the worse.

In the UK there are about 700 rough sleepers at any one time (which is separate to the 400,000 ‘hidden homeless’ persons in unsecure accommodation such as hostels or night shelters), and at least 2.5 million older people live in a single heated room in order to keep warm and save on heating costs.

This number is likely to increase by 2009 when older people are likely to make up more than one third of the population.

Get knitting to keep people warm

Simon Tiller from the CSV Make a Difference Day Campaign said, “The approaching winter months, for many brings about thoughts of happy holidays and seasons celebrations, for others it will bring a constant worry of never being able to keep warm whether through poor health or rising heating bills”.

The knitted pieces can be donated to a day centre, homeless shelter, a friend, neighbour or be given out to a homeless person on the street. People can also share their skills by starting a knitting group for CSV Make a Difference Day, where they can have fun and meet new people too.

CSV Make a Difference Day is also welcoming the involvement of those who are elderly and housebound, and who want to make a helpful contribution to benefit others. Volunteering by elderly people brings enormous benefits in promoting good health and well-being, as well as combating the threat of isolation.

Simon says, “Older people want to be seen as a resource, not as a problem, and for those who are housebound it will help to make them feel they still have a lot to offer.

A free handy how-to-knit guide will be sent out to anyone who requests it after they register their project for CSV Make a Difference Day. The guide will provide assistance on how to create hat and scarf patterns, and information on where to donate the pieces.

To register a project with CSV Make a Difference Day please visit www.csv.org.uk/difference or call 0800 284 533.

Once this has been done, a free action pack including the how-to guides will be sent out along with certificates, balloons, stickers, T shirts, posters.

Grown up Gappers Why Should Your Kids have all the fun?

Watch the sun rise over Machu Picchu

Always wanted to explore the great wonders of the world but never quite got around to it? Want adventure but also assurance? Got ten days not ten months? If the answer is yes then why not join one of Marie Curie Cancer Care’s fully supported treks to some of the most amazing places on the planet…

Marie Curie Cancer Care runs challenges everywhere from China and Peru to Iceland, meaning you can fulfil lifelong ambitions such as walking on one of the great wonders of the world, watching the sun rise over Machu Picchu or trekking on the edge of the Arctic Circle. And with the added knowledge that while you’re away you will be raising money to help fund more hours of nursing care for terminally ill people, the trip will be all the more fulfilling.

Take part in the China Trek

The charity also runs challenges such as Project Tanzania, where you can spend 12 days in Tanzania’s stunningly beautiful rift valley, trekking around the shores of Lake Manyara, with its abundant wildlife, and working on a community project with the local Mbulu people.

If this has whetted your appetite for adventure then visit www.mariecurie.org.uk/events where you can view detailed itineraries and trek routes, check out interactive maps and even watch videos of previous participants.

And once you’ve signed up to one of the charity’s treks (or even if you’re a keen walker) your first piece of kit should definitely be the stylish, yet practical new hiking pole which Switch Sticks have produced to celebrate Marie Curie Cancer Care’s 60^th anniversary this year.

Buy a hiking pole from Switch Sticks

The hiking poles, priced at £19.99, are available from:

· The charity’s shopping website, just click on www.mariecurie.org.uk/shop or 0844 800 7730.

The charity will receive all profits, plus a 50p donation from Switch Sticks for each one sold.

· Stockists throughout the UK. For each one sold Marie Curie Cancer Care will receive a 50p donation

The hiking poles are decorated with a bold, swirling pattern in yellow and orange, featuring the charity’s daffodil emblem. They have an integrated wrist strap, Active Shock Absorption, a three-section secure locking system and interchangeable rubber and strong carbide tips.

The money raised through the sale of the hiking poles and the charity’s challenges will help fund Marie Curie Nurses, who provide free end of life care to terminally ill people and support for their families.

Marie Curie Nurses allow people with cancer and other terminal illnesses to spend their final days in their own homes, surrounded by the people they love the most.

Living Crafts Show at Blenheim Palace
From 21st to 23rd November

Sarah Raven opens Living Crafts for Christmas, photo by Jonathan Buckley

Save the date in your diary for the Living Crafts for Christmas show at Blenheim Palace. The show takes place over three days, from 21^st through to 23^rd November and it's guaranteed to be a day out to remember.

This year’s show is to be officially opened by Sarah Raven, celebrity gardener and chef, where she will be signing copies of her new book, ‘Sarah Raven’s Complete Christmas, Food & Flowers’.

Sarah Raven’s Complete Christmas is a stunning collection of recipes, flower projects and every tip you could possibly need to guide you effortlessly through the festive season. It is the result of Sarah Raven’s years of experience in the garden and kitchen creating memorable Christmas seasons for her family without losing her sanity in the process. Lavishly produced and beautifully photographed by Jonathan Buckley, it will provide readers with the last word on food, flowers and decorations for the Christmas season.

Widely regarded as the highlight of the Winter opening season at Blenheim Palace this truly sumptuous event takes place in two vast and ornate chandelier-lit pavilions, carpeted and heated throughout, situated either side of the impressive Great Court. If the success of last year’s event is anything to go by, the show will attract around 12,000 visitors.

Blenheim Palace in the snow

Almost a hundred of the country’s most talented British craftsmen and women will be gathered together, to ensure a splendid array of new and exciting gifts for all the family. And there are prices to suit all budgets.

Trying to find the perfect gift for one person is usually a pleasure but with a list spanning two and more families, it can become quite an ordeal – particularly if you want your gift to stand out from the many mass-produced goods that flood our high street stores and supermarkets.

At Living Crafts for Christmas the choice is enormous, ranging from unusual stocking fillers to works of art and everything in between. There are stunning gem-encrusted rings and necklaces, beautiful lacy scarves, shawls and stoles, glorious hats and handbags, gloves and fine clothing on offer.

Fabulous leather goods encompass key fobs, wallets and handbags, and you can see stunning fitted clothing and a huge selection of coats and jackets. There are textiles, ceramics, puzzles and toys and even designer clothes for men, women and children; costume jewellery and even tiaras for that little bit of Christmas magic.

Get ideas for Christmas Presents at Living Crafts for Christmas

There is so much to see and do that this is one Christmas date not to be missed.

Tickets for Living Crafts include entrance to the magnificent parkland and gardens of Blenheim Palace. Prices on the day will cost: Adults £7.50, Seniors £5.30, Child age 5-16 £2.65, Family ticket (2 adults and 2 children) £18.00.

For a combined ticket to visit both Living Crafts for Christmas and Blenheim Palace prices will be: Adults £13.90, Seniors £11.30, Child £7.70, Family ticket £37.00.

Savings are available by booking in advance; visit www.livingcrafts.co.uk for details or telephone 08700 111 912 for individual tickets and 01993 811091 for group bookings.

Sixtyplusurfers Competition

Win The Craft Room from Helix

Craft expert and TV Presenter, Stephanie Weightman shows us The Craft Room

This month Sixtyplusurfers has teamed up with Craft with Helix to offer one lucky reader the chance to win everything they need to make their own personalised Christmas cards.

Comprising everything needed to create perfect personalised paper crafts, Craft with Helix has joined forces with craft expert and TV presenter Stephanie Weightman to develop the definitive multi-functional crafting workstation.

Renowned for reliable and high quality products, Helix's Craft Room encapsulates a number of paper and card crafting techniques in one easy to use system.

The Craft Room from Helix

Designed to be used by crafters of all abilities, the Craft Room is perfect for creating Christmas cards and gift boxes and is the ideal present for keen crafters.

"The Craft Room is easily portable and can be assembled in seconds to begin crafting. The workstation has been tried and tested by crafters from conception to completion to ensure the Craft Room is the most straightforward and easy to use system available," says Jon Burke, Group Marketing Manager, Helix.

Developed in conjunction with Ideal World television presenter and passionate crafter Stephanie Weightman, the Craft Room comprises a sturdy base unit and lid which are held firmly together by a patented paper clamping system to ensure that projects will remain firmly in place.

For those that require some guidance, Stephanie has created an ideas and instruction booklet so even novice crafters can create professional looking Christmas cards.

To complement the Craft Room, several new accessories are also being launched including six super new rotary blades. Available in jigsaw, zigzag, mountain, arrowhead, wave and perforated effects to create decorative straight lines like never before.

Christmas Design Set from Helix

For creative Christmas cards there’s the new Christmas embossing board as well as the new Romance Filigree set – great for wedding or engagement cards, or use the Floral Filigree set for a variety of floral embellishments and trims.

Also making its way into shops is the A3 glass cutting mat - made of toughened glass with a smooth non-scratch surface.

Christmas CD from Helix

Craft with Helix is offering one reader the chance to win a Craft Room, a Christmas Embossing Board, a Greetings Embossing Board and a Christmas CD Rom.

The Craft Room range is available from Hobbycraft stores.

For more information about The Craft Room click on www.helix.co.uk/craft

For Your Chance to Win

Tell us which television channel does Stephanie Weightman present?

     a) Make and Mend
   b) Craft World
     c) Design Workshop
     d) Ideal World

To Enter the Competition

For your chance to win The Craft Workshop, tell us which television channel Stephanie Weightman presents, then send in your answer, together with your name and address to: sixtyplusurfers@hotmail.co.uk

* This competition is open to our
UK visitors only

Halloween Gift to Make

Make a Felt Pumpkin Treat Bag

October 31st is Halloween, so why not make your grandchildren this cheerful Pumpkin Treat Bag to collect all their goodies. This easy craft project has been created by HobbyCraft.

You Will Need

·    Felt in orange glitter and black glitter
·    Orange foam paint
·    Purple embroidery thread
·    Emerald green rattail cord

· Kids white glue

How to Make the Treat Bag

1. Cut out two pumpkin shapes from the orange felt. Paint orange lines on one and leave aside until dry.

2. Cut features from the black felt and glue to front.

3. Cut a 50cm length of cord and knot at each end.

4. Use a running stitch to join both sides of the bag, stitching the cord securely at each side of the opening.

Handy Tip

Fill the bag with sweets and treats as a gift for Halloween.

For more information about HobbyCraft ideas to make visit the website at www.hobbycraft.co.uk

Get Your Pottery
and China Valued
at Weston Park

Get your pottery and china valued at Weston Park

A Midlands 17th century stately home is offering visitors the chance to get their china and pottery valued by a Sotheby’s expert during its Ceramic Study Day.

Sotheby’s auctioneer, Andrew Parker will be accompanied by a team of historical and conservationist specialists during the Ceramic Study Day, which takes place at Weston Park on Wednesday 15th October. During the event, they will explore the origins of ceramics and how best to preserve them, followed by a two course lunch in the Stables Bistro Restaurant.

Weston Park’s extensive collection of Oriental and European ceramics provides a fitting backdrop to begin the discussions. Curator, Sophie Heath from the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust’s Coalport Museum and Lesley Durbin, conservator at the Jackfield Conservation Studio, will start the day’s activities.

“Lesley works closely with English Heritage on its maintenance programme for medieval tiles,” explains Weston Park’s curator, Gareth Williams.

“She is the conservator of ceramics for Weston Park and many other prominent museums and galleries. Lesley and Sophie will explore the manufacture of porcelain, ways in which to care for it and the influences it has had on the market” added Gareth.

Gareth will provide an exclusive tour of Weston Park’s own unique ceramic collection followed by Sotheby’s auctioneer, Andrew Parker’s informative discussions revealing how to recognise an antique treasure.

“We are fortunate to have such knowledgeable professionals joining us at Weston Park and welcome visitors to bring their own ceramic heirlooms to be examined by Andrew” concludes Gareth.

Pre-booking is required. The day will commence at 10am and costs £48.50 per person, which includes the talks, tours, two-course lunch and valuations plus time to explore the estate’s Park and Gardens.

Weston Park is a 17th century stately home. Set amidst 1,000 acres of parkland it was the former ancestral home to the Earls of Bradford from 1671 until it was gifted to the nation by the current earl in 1986. It is now held in a trust for the nation by the Weston Park Foundation, a charitable Trust.

Weston Park is situated on the A5 at Weston-under-Lizard, just 30 minutes from Central Birmingham, 3 miles off the M54, Junction 3, and 8 miles off the M6 Junction 12.

To book a place on the Ceramic Study Day, please contact Weston Park on Telephone: 01952 852100 or email enquiries@weston-park.com or click on www.weston-park.com

Dairy Free and Delicious Cookery Courses
from the Cordon Vert Cookery School

Dairy Free and Delicious Cookery Courses at the Cordon Vert Cookery School

Dairy Free and Delicious is a fascinating workshop from the Cordon Vert cookery school. It’s ideal for anyone following, or needing to cook for a dairy and egg free diet. Dates for this popular course in 2008 are 12 October and 29 November, and next year 7 February and 15 March.

Recipes from the course are a mixture of both simple and gourmet which show how to use alternative ingredients to cheese, cream and butter in your diet - from Crème Patisserie Tarts with Fresh Fruit to Almond Burritos with an Avocado Salsa to Tofu Mayonnaise.

To give you a taster why not try a couple of recipes created by Cordon Vert? Both are dairy free and delicious - Ale and Mushroom Puff Pastry Pie with Champ and Mediterranean Cous Cous Terrine.

Find out more about the course by calling 0161 925 2000 or by visiting www.cordonvert.co.uk

Crafts and Hobbies With Hand Crafted Gifts to Make

Crafts and Hobbies
With Hand Crafted Gifts to Make